The compassion of the down

[tylojuky]

Wow! I just looked at the price of an Eiderdown comforter. $7,600 fir a winter king.

Eiderdown comforters

Psshh - that's cheap.
I've seen them as high as $20,000 US but that doesn't include the airfare & accommodations to go pick it up in Iceland (I wouldn't just put that in a DHL box and slap a label on it).

[sr1355]

Several companies are in the process of implementing programs to insure ethical treatment of animals used for down garments. Our supplier is one of the main driving forces along with their partner NF...

SPORTONE

[Whiskeyjack]

I just bought 5lbs of down from a wholesaler. Their eiderdown was around $800/lb.

[2eez4life]

Several companies are in the process of implementing programs to insure ethical treatment of animals used for down garments. Our supplier is one of the main driving forces along with their partner NF...

SPORTONE

Awesome, thanks a ton for that article! That is exactly what I was looking for! I am thinking about buying a summer underquilt, and UGQ just scored big in my book!

[MuseJr]

...
Pretty much, is it a sustainable practice?

Great question... After watching what the hairstyle trend did to feather merchants and the subsequent rebound, I think it is sustainable. Down could get a lot more expensive if we continue to drive the demand in a shortage though. ($45 saddles sold for over $500 because people were paying $20 for a feather in their hair. That isn't the case with goose down, but it could get ridiculous too.)

Of course it's sustainable. The problem is that for warm winter wear you have two choices--either use unsustainable synthetics (they are made using oil which is not renewable) or use animal products like wool and down. ...

Oil isn't only used for our insulation. It is in our hammocks, clothes, packs, suspensions, etc... (Just something else to think about when we look at new gear.)

Several companies are in the process of implementing programs to insure ethical treatment of animals used for down garments. Our supplier is one of the main driving forces along with their partner NF...

SPORTONE

Thanks for the info. That was a good read. Patagonia always seems to be in the front of environmental trends. 1% for the planet is something I pay attention to when I buy from a large manufacturer. It's nice to see TNF paying attention and being responsible too.